The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 32: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

24 ee THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. intensity mocking him with the fearful resuscitation of the spectres of the past? From meditations such as these he was roused by a summons from the cheerful voice of his sister, and at the same time that he found his purse had disap- and of which he judged it prudent to say no- thing, he was reminded that his appointment in Man- chester Buildings that morning was at least not to be numbered among the illusions of the last twelve hours. —_ = CHAPTER VI. THE SECRET CONCLAVE, DisenGAcre ourselves for a short time from the throng of incidents that have so rapidly accumulated around us at the very outset of our narrative, we must now request the company of the reader to a place with which, by name at least, he cannot be unacquainted. Though situated in the gayest and most opulent quarter of the metropolis, with the stream of fashion- able equipages and commercial traffic constantly ting the adjacent thoroughfares, the street itself has a look singularly quiet, gloomy, and unin- viting. The who are encountered therein wear an aspect of dull and formal gravity, as if imbued with the pervading characteristics of the place. Each seems to be bearing within his breast some secret of engrossing importance on which the prosperity of the nation may depend, or in which the fate of empires maybe involved. The careless lounge of the patrician idler, and the steady, onward haste of the city man of business are never to be met with in its precincts. During the time parliament is sitting the occasional glimpse of government messengers flitting through the street and its neighbouring avenues gives) a transitory anima- tion to the scene, but it soon subsides into its inherent condition of dreary grandeur, and the eye seeks in vain along the range of lofty and massive structures for some relief to the cold and unbroken uniformity that prevails. Yet here, in this apparently dull and sombre retreat, the cares of state press heavily upon the ministerial brow. Hence are fulminated the decrees that may sway the fortunes of courtiers afar off, and in its vast and busy chambers are projected the astute and in- fluential plans that affect the legislature of our own. A voice from Downing Street has its echo at the antipodes, To a spacious apartment situated in this important region the scene now changes. ‘Before a table of large dimensions, covered with green baize, was the Secre~ tary of State for the Home Department, earnestly absorbed in the examination of some important papers that had just been submitted to him for perusal. His countenance wore a look of extreme anxiety, and the accumulation of letters, enclosures, and despatches that had arisen before him in the course of the morn- ing evinced the peculiar and onerous nature of his duties. Having bestowed on each the attention com- mensurate with the importance of the matter to which it referred, he had now directed his scrutiny to a voluminous document that, written in a round legible hand, appeared to be the elaborately transcribed notes of a case which inyolved a disclosure of the most remarkable and astounding description. As he read on, his brow, indented with the deeply- furrowed lines of thought, contracted in profound —_—_—- se meditation, and the rapid manner in which he ex- tracted memoranda of names and dates for future assistance to his memory proved that the subject which engrossed his inquiry was of more than cus- tomary magnitude, When his perusal had terminated, he rang a small bell that was at his side, and Mr, Harlowe, his confi- dential clerk, emerged from an adjoining room in an- swer to his summons. ‘“‘ Has the commissioner of police yet arrived?” he inquired, “ Mr. Gowan is waiting in the ante-room, sir, at this moment,” was the reply. “Admit him, and then have the goodness to take your seat at this table,” continued the secretary, his glance returning to the papers that he held, Mr. Gowan, the commissioner of police, who was now ushered in, was a somewhat corpulent individual, rather advanced in years, and exhibiting the habitual peculiarities of his position in a certain air of austere authority that was visible in his manner. He was dressed in a neat and unostentatious style, and quietly took up his position in the chair indicated for his reception. The clerk, ranging the writing materials before him, in readiness to note down the instructions. he might receive, likewise stationed himself on the opposite side, “T am fully of opinion,” began the home-secretary» addressing himself to the commissioner, “that the. subject to which you have called my attention is one: requiring the most complete and vigilant investi- gation. Without attaching undue importance to the particulars. with which I have been furnished, it is: yet evident to me that a dangerous and deeply-organ-, ised conspiracy exists which has for its object the; subversion of order and the destruction of the rights of property. That this daring combination must be instantly and effectually crushed is of course the determination of the crown, and I am not displeased to find that to one so competent and experienced the principal share of this business has been already dele- gated.” Mr. Gowan slightly bowed. “Of the means hitherto adopted for this purpose,” resumed the secretary, “I approve most unreservedly. Your plan of preserving in secret the defensive arrange- ments that you intend to employ merits my warmest approbation; and I concur with your views also of allowing the plot to proceed until it is upon the eve of execution. By so acting, we shall unquestionably obtain a firm hold of the principal instigators, and acquire evidence of the most important kind. It must . not be forgotten, however, in the meantime, that a strict watch must be kept over the parties implicated ; and as, from the names and description of those I find figuring in the record before me, they appear exclu- sively confined to persons in well-known and humble circumstances of life, I apprehend that such a surveil- lance will not be difficult,” “T have already ensured this, and given out the necessary instructions for the purpose,” observed the commissioner, “But there is one circumstance,” continued the home-secretary, “that I cannot clearly comprehend, and this appears to me to involve a mystery which it is highly essential we should instantly unravel. When I read in this summary of intelligence that has been acquired, the statement that six thousand guns, pistols, and other offensive weapons, have vies to be secreted in different pasta of he the metfronc that no less than twelve tu pa ool om ani, ssc